Perforated eardrum (patient information)
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Perforated eardrum |
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Perforated eardrum On the Web |
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ogheneochuko Ajari, MB.BS, MS [2]
Overview
A ruptured eardrum is an opening or hole in the eardrum, which separates the outer and middle ear. When the eardrum is damaged, the hearing may be harmed.
What are the symptoms?
Ear pain may suddenly decrease right after your eardrum ruptures.
After the rupture, you may have:
- Drainage from the ear (drainage may be clear, pus, or bloody)
- Ear noise/ buzzing
- Earache or ear discomfort
- Hearing loss in the involved ear (hearing loss may not be total)
- Weakness of the face, or dizziness (in more severe cases)
What are the causes?
Ear infections may cause a ruptured eardrum, more often in children. The infection causes pus or fluid to build up behind the eardrum. As the pressure increases, the eardrum may break open (rupture).
Damage to the eardrum can also occur from:
- A very loud noise close to the ear, such as a gunshot
- A rapid change in ear pressure, which may occur when flying, scuba diving, or driving in the mountains
- Foreign objects in the ear
- Injury to the ear (such as a powerful slap or explosion)
- Inserting cotton-tipped swabs or small objects into the ear to clean them
Who is at highest risk?
Diagnosis
The doctor will look in your ear with an instrument called an otoscope or a microscope. If the eardrum is ruptured, the doctor will see an opening in it, and may even see the bones of the middle ear.
Sometimes it is hard for the doctor to see the eardrum because of drainage (pus) from the ear.
Audiology testing can measure how much hearing has been lost.